Ramblers Group
Co-ordinator Martin Richards
This is a very active, popular and sociable group who enjoy each other’s' company and tramping the local fields, highways and byways, marvelling at the wonderful Warwickshire scenery so close to us.
We meet twice a month, 1st Tuesday and 3rd Wednesday at 10.00 am.
We have a number of walk leaders who take it in turns to select a walk of between 4 and 6 miles. I like to encourage newer members to offer to lead a walk after they have settled in with us but there is no compunction to do so!
We try to start within 10 miles of Balsall Common and most frequently find pub car parks very suitable for our starting/finishing points!
We currently have 60 members of whom 40+ are active.
We currently average around 18-25 members per walk with an overall average in 2011of 22. To date (5 years) we have only cancelled three walks due to bad weather!
Cost is very low - we have a joining fee of £2 and to date no other costs. We do, however, make members pay for their own drinks/meals after a walk! With the joining fee money raised so far we have bought 2 first aid kits for the leaders to take on their walks and future funds will be available to buy maps, written up walks, etc.
If you would like to join or require any other information please contact me telephone: 01676 533429, or email: mwlrichards@tiscali.co.uk
If anyone wants to create a ramble route, either for the U3A or for personal reasons try out the following site: http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm
Recent Walk around Preston Bagot 19th October 2011 Tanworth in Arden Walk 16th November 2011
For photographs of the Ramblers Group walks 2011 Click here
For Photographs of the Ramblers 2011 Christmas Lunch and Walks in 2012 Click Here
March 2012 Walks
When Tuesday 6 March 2012
Where Fillongley (Travel Distance 10 miles)
Meet at 10am in the car park to the Manor House Pub (CV7 8ET) Coventry Road, B4098, Fillongley. Large car park to the rear.
Travel Info From Balsall travel through Meriden and then onto Fillongley.
At the cross roads in the middle of the village turn right along the B4098 towards Coventry. 200yards along on the left is the the church.
Another 200yards on the right is the pub.
Walk info The walk is around 5 miles. It is mainly pasture, with only one stile. There is a short length of boggy ground and one flight of steepish steps.
The route starts from the pub, through Little London down to Corley Ash and onto Corley Moor then northwards to the Ring & Bailey and back to the pub.
There is a new tenant who only moved in, on 19 February, so the food may be limited.
Leader Richard Davis Tel 01676 - 533714
For Printable copy of this walk and map click here
It is good to see the increasing number of people out walking as our group grows. Last year’s average attendance was circa 20-22 per walk which was very good but it varied from about 14 to 28, so quite a big variation and overall was a substantial increase on previous years. If the number attending grows too much we will have to consider how to tackle the matter as there is no doubt 20 or more can easily add ½ hr to a walk when there are a number of stiles to negotiate. Having said that it is also notable that many of you do not walk in the rain or can be put off by too many stiles, so these factors reduce the numbers attending specific walks. The size of the pub and its car park where we meet is also another factor to consider. I, personally, think it a good idea to have a mixture of shorter, medium and longer walks with no restrictions on the number of stiles as this gives us the maximum scope possible and will appeal to all of you at some time!
In my opinion we have not yet reached the point where we have to consider breaking up the group into separate short, medium and long walks as when we do this will require a lot more walk leaders, recces and general organisation. It may be the first step would be to break the initial gathering, when we meet, into 2 parties with two leaders, one to lead each group on the same walk but starting say 15 mins apart. This would be possible if 2 people did the recce for a walk which in the majority of cases happens and an action I have encouraged from the start. Such a split could be decided on the day at the start. I would welcome any comments or further thoughts on this matter.
I look forward to seeing you on the next walk.
Martin